Reel



1952 A. LITZLER 2,605,536

REEL

Filed July 12, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS C. A. LITZLER REEL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 12, 1947 AT RNEXS 5, 1952 c. A. LITZLER 2,605,536

REEL

Filed July 12. 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.-

CYR/L. AL/721.512

BY M

ATTORN EYS.

g- 5, 1952 c. A. LlTZLER 2,605,536

REEL

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 12, 1947 INVENTOR.

" CYR/L 4. L/TZLER ATTORNEYS.

g- 5, 1952 c. A. LITZLER 2,605,535

REEL

Filed July 12, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 v INVENTOR.

CYR/L A. L/TZLER ATTORNEYS.

,thereof; a reel which may one. screw threaded strand Patented Aug. 5, 1952 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REEL Cyril A. Litzler, Cleveland, Ohio Application July 12, 1947, Serial No. 760,589 7 7 Claims. (01. 28-113) This invention relates to winding and reeling and :more particularly to the improvements in thread or strand storage, strand advancing reels on which astrand or plurality of strands of any flexible, material in the form of thread, yarn, string-cord, wire or strip may be continuously fed, stored, advanced and/or treated for such time and in such amount as may be desired, and from which reel the strand or strands, after desired storage and/or treatment, may be simultaneously and continuously unwound.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide an improved strand storage, strand advancing reel to which the strand may be continuously paid on and paid off and upon which a desired load orweb or length of the strand may be. continuously maintained for storage or treatment as may be desired. Another object of my invention is to provide sucha reel comprised of simple, easily manufactured and assembled parts adapted to a long and useful life and adapted to a wide variety of applications and uses. Another object is to provide a continuous pay-on, pay-off reel that is capable of performing its strand storage, strand advancing function. with equal or advantageous facility in substantially .all manner of positions and conditions, whether horizontal;

its. axis be vertical, inclined orwhether its load be subjected to heat or cold, or wetness or dryness, or submerged or partially submerged in liquids or other strand treating fluids. Another object is to provide a reel of the above mentioned type in whichthe locus of :the load or web of strands on the reel may be moved without interrupting the continuous payeon, pay-off, strand storage and advancing operation be loaded with facility, operated at a wide range of speeds and in which the tension of the strand or strands on the reel may be varied and controlled. Another object of my'invention is .to provide a reel of the strand advancing, strand storage. type having atleast supporting. reel bar, the rotationof which'about its own axis may be determinably and adjustably related to the rotation of the reel. Another object of my invention is to provide a strand storage, strand advancing reel that will :operatewith the same or substantially the same efficiency on double or multiple strands as with single strands-or may operate with strands or strips of a wide variety of'flexible materials and cross-sectional shapes ranging from small diameter threads on the one hand to such thingsas continuous strips for Venetian blinds on the other hand.

Anotherobject of my invention is to provide continuous pay-on and pay-off reel having heli-' cally grooved strand supporting reel bars in which the Web of strands on the reel is advanced axially and rotated about the reel axis at a greater or lesser speed than the rotation of the reel. Another object is to provide a continuous pay-on, pay-off reel for single or multiple strands in which the strands or convolutions of one or more strands, may be desirably spaced on the reel to facilitate treatment thereof whether by the application of gases or liquids therto or the removal therefrom. Another object of my invention is to provide a continuous pay-on, payoffreel having screw threaded strand supporting surfaces which by their rotary and bodily movements admit continuous pay-on, pay-off strand storage, strand advancing operation.

'Another object of my invention is to provide methods and means for loading a reel respondwhich will .compensatefor relative movement between the load and the reel during loading thereof. Another object is to provide improved methods of storing, advancing, and handling strandsfor strand storage, strand advancing and related operations.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of certain exemplary and preferred forms and embodiments of my invention reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a broken side elevation of one form of reel embodying my invention; Figure 2 is an end elevationof the reel of Figure 1; Figure 3"is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section taken in'the plane 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a. fragmentary longitudinal section of a cantilever form of a reel embodying my invention taken on'the line 4- of Figure 5; Figure 5 is. a transverse section of the reel of Figure 4 taken along the plane ofthe line 5-5 of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a side elevation of partof a threaded strand's'upporting reel bar; Figure '7 is a diagrammatic isometric view of the strand supportingreel bars in operative relation one to the other andwith the strand sup-ported thereupon; Figure Sisa diagrammatic end elevation of reel of my invention with one form of strand guiding and tensioning compensating means .therefor; Figure 9 is a diagrammatic top plan 3 view of the parts shown in elevation in Figure 8; Figure 10 is a diagrammatic end elevation of a modified form of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 8 and 9; Figure 11 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of a reel of my invention having one form of loading device operatively associated therewith; Figure 12 is a diagrammatic plan view of the type of reel shown in Figure 11, showing the relation of the loading device and the strand to the reel in different stages of and relating to the loading operation; Figure 13 is a diagrammatic transverse section of a form of reel embodying my invention and also embodying a threaded type loading de-* vice; Figure 14 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken in the plane of the line l4|4 of Figure 13, showing a removable threaded strand loading mechanism; Figure 15 is a perspective view of another cantilever form of my invention.

An exemplary embodiment of my invention is illustrated in part in Figures 1, 2 and 3 wherein a reel R is mounted for rotation about its axis A supported in suitable bearings l and 2; the reel in this form comprising four screw threaded reel bars B spaced at 90 angles fromeach other and extending parallel to and equidistant'from the axis A of the reel and supported for rotation about their own axes in bearings 3 which bearings in turn are supported at the radially outward ends of spokes K, the inner ends of which are fixedly secured to the axis A as through hub plates I-I via rivets 4 or other positive means of attachment. As shown-diagrammatically in Figure 7 the reel R-having the direction of rotation as indicated by the arrow a, i. e., clockwise about its axis A as viewed from the right in Figure7, receives a strands as upon the uppermost of-the reel bars B at the pay-on point I0 whence the strand passes in a substantially helical path around the several reel bars forming the load or web W on the reel and is led from the reel at the leftward end thereof as viewed, as from the payoff point I I. Each of the reel-bars B is externally screw threaded, i. e., contains acontinuous helical external groove G, the radially outwarddisposed portions of which receive the strand. S, see Figure 6, wherewith to guide and space the strands and to give the web of strands supported on the reel the desired axial motion wherewith tofacilitate the continuous paying on to the reel and paying oif from the reel without changing the locus of the web or load W axially of the reel. In the form shown in Figure 7, each of the reel bars is caused to rotate in a counterclockwisedirection as viewed from the right in Figure '7, whilst the reel as a whole and the reel bars move bodily in a clockwise direction. When each reel bar makes one counterclockwise revolution for each clockwise revolution of the reel then as each bar comes up to the pay-on point [0 it will expose an unoccupied portion of its thread groove G to the paying-on portion of the strand S for the reception thereof. Then as the reel and the reel bars continue their simultaneous movement the web W of strands will have an axial movement leftward as viewed in Figure '7, at the rate of one pitch P, Figure 6, for each revolution ofth reel and accompanying revolution of each of the reel bars. This axial movement of the web or load on the reel is accompanied by a relative, circumferential movement of the web relative'to the reel in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the right in Figure '7, at a rate of movement which equals pi times the pitch diameter of the reel bars for each complete revolutionthereof,

of rotation about its own axis.

4 i. e., each complete revolution of the reel. The leftward movement of the web W, as viewed in Figure l, maintains the pay-off point of the strand at the point I I whence it follows that the reel embodying my invention admits of continuous pay on and continuous pay off at, points substantially fixed in planes respectively normal to the axis of the reel throughout an endless and continuous operation at any speed that may be desired or found practicable. While Figure 7 suggests that the web W does not necessarily cover the whole length of the reel bars the extent to which the reel is loaded is a matter of choice to g be more fully discussed below and the time that any given part of the strand is carried on the reel is a matter which can be readily determined for a reel of any given size by the speed of the reel and by the number of convolutions of the helix of the web W with which the reel is loaded.

Referring now again more particularly to Figures'l, 2 and 3, I show by way of illustration exemplary means by which the reel and the reel bars may be given desired and desirable movement and relative movements for the practice of my invention. Thus a main driving motor M may be connected to the rightward end of the axis A of the reel as through a chain or belt l2 and driving and driven sprockets or pulleys I3 and I4 wherewith to give the reel its desired movement In this exemplary drawing of my invention each of the reel bars B has fixedly secured to its leftwardly extending journaled end a driving sprocket I! through which rotation of the reel bar about its own axis is induced or restrained as may be desired. As shown in Figure 2, a continuous chain it passes overeach of the sprockets l1, and each of the sprockets ll having the same number of teeth, the chain I8 controls their like and simultaneous rotation about their own axes.

'In securing the sprockets IT tothe several reel bars and in securing the chain [8 to the several sprockets it is desirable to have the reel bars properly angularly related to each other in respect to the threaded surfaces thereof. That is to say, the'thread of each reel bar, where four threaded. reel bars are employed equally spaced about the periphery of the reel, should preferably be out of phase with respect to the adjacent bars circumferentially ahead and behind it. In this way each reel bar will in turn squarely present the groove of its thread to the strand feeding onto the reel at the pay-on point, for example, in the same plane normal to the axis of the reel. Preferably the reel bars have their threads of the same root diameter when rotating at the same speeds so that the web of strands supported on the several bars will have rolling contact with all the bars rather than part rolling and part slipping contact with any of them, albeit if a burnishing of the strands were desired as by a slipping contact between the web and one or more of the reel, bars such an eiTect could 'be so obtained. It may be mentioned in this connection, however, that the axial movement of all the thread supporting grooves which support the same strand or the same helical convolution of a strand, should be at the same rate to avoid distortion of the strand or convolution or the rupture thereof. For example, if it were, desired to have reel bars of difierent diameter without slippage'of thelweb on the bars andwithout distorting the convolution of the helix of the web; then a bar with one inch root diameter threads with 20 threads --per inch might be run at twice'thespeed of rotation driving sprocket of Y the reel .while a circumferentially adjacent bar of'two inch xroot diameter threads would have but threads per inch and would be rotated at the same speed of reel rotation. One of the reel bars B, the upper one, as shown in Figures'l and 2, has its journaled end extended wherewith to carry a second sprocket Zilfixedly secured thereon or keyed thereto through which this reel bar directly, and directly through the chain 18, are given their rotation or are restrained from rotation. A sprocket 2i, see also Figure 3, is connected with a sprocket 28 by a chain 22' wherewith to transmit forceand motion from the former to the latter. As sh wn in'Figure 3 the sprocket Zl' 'preferably has a widely elongated hub 25 within whichthe axis A is freely rotatable and to which the sprocket" 2| may be secured for rotation therewith as by a set screw 25. 'The hub 25 passes through the bearing l and is rotatably supported therein and when desired may be held against rotation therein by appropriate adjustment of thelset screw 21. sprocket 2! also extends through the hub of a 28'which in turn may be secured in driving relation therewith or released from driving relation therefrom by a set screw 29. A nut 3i! threaded onto theend of the hub the other reel bars'in- The 11111125 of the I with'a thrust washer 3| secures the assembly of the parts, drawing the shoulder 32 of the hub against the end of the bearing I wherewith to keep the parts in alignment. A thrust washer 33 may be interposed between the rightward end of the hub 25 and hub .I-I.

When it is desired that the sprocket 2i rotate with. the axis A of the reel the former is'se the juxtaposed endof the reel cured to the latter as by adjustment of the set screw 26; the set screws 21 and .29 being backed off to give the sprocket freedom of rotation in the bearing land preferably freedom of'rotation with respect to the driving sprocket 28. In this condition the reel bars B will be held against rotation about their own axes while the reel rotates about, the axis of the shaft A. Such a condition may be employed for one mannerof loading the reel as will be discussed more fully below.

With the set screws 26 and 29 backed off and the set screw 21 screwed down to hold the sprocket 2|. against rotation, the rotation of the reel will induce rotation of the reel bars about their-own axes after the manner of planet gears in an, epicyclic train under the influence of the chains l8 and .22. More specifically if the sprockets ll, 29 and 2! are of the, same size, i. e.,' of the same pitch diameter with the same number of teeth, each of the reel bars ,13 will be induced to turn one complete revolution for each complete revolution of the reel; the reel bars taking a direction of rotation opposite to that of the reel. Securing the driving sprocket 28 to thesprocket 2! as by the screw 29, while releasing the sprocket 21 from engagement with the axis A and the bearing Lpermits the sprocket 2i and the reel bars B to be driven independently of the reel or the axis thereof as by the auxiliary motor N through the belt or chain drive connecting the motor and the sprocket 28. Preferably the motors M and N are adequately provided with speed controlling and synchronizing means, not shown, through which any desired speed relationship between the reels and the reel bars can be established, modified or maintained as may be desired. Reverse gearingU shown diagrammatically with each of the motors and N is also preferably provided wherewith. the

relative'direction o'ftrotation of the reel with respect to the reel bars may also be controlled.

Referring back to the condition in which the sprocket 2| held against rotationand discon nected from both the axis A and the driving sprocket 28 it will be appreciated that -I do not necessarily limit myself to the choice of sprockets which give the same'speed' of rotation to the reel and reel bars. For-examplewhen it isdesired to-have the reel bars rotate at twice the speed of rotationof' the reel'ahd in the opposite direction of rotation with respect thereto-one may substitute for the sprocket 2| a sprocketof twice-the pitch diameterand twice the number of teeth, substituting also" I an appropriately lengthened chain 22 whereupon the reel "bars will be caused to rotate two revolutions foreach revolution of the reel and in the op-posit'e'direc tionwith respect thereto. As will more fully appear below itmaywell be desirable to have the reel bars rotate in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the reel without recourse to driving the reel bars by the auxiliary motor N. To thisend it is practicable to substitute for'the sprocket 2| a sun gear meshing with a planet gear, 'the' latter being substituted for the sprocket 2i]. Thereupon when the sun gear is held against rotation as by'such means as have been suggested above and the reel is rotated, the

planet'gear willinduce rotation of the reelbars in the same directionas the direction of rotation of the reel, and if the gears be of the same pitch diameter the speed of rotation of the reel bars will be the same as the speed of rotation of the "reeli The art of'planetary' gearing is well enough understood so thatI need not elaborate upon well-known and more appropriate engaging and disengaging mechanisms such as clutches, brakes and the like for carrying out the principles of my invention. 7

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, the reel bars B are supported at both ends as is useful for many purposes. However my invention readily adapts itself to cantilever'form'as suggested in Figure 4 wherein'the reel axis A would have its cantilever supporting bearings, not shown, to the left as viewed of the reenforced spokes K the reel bars B being journaled preferably in appropriate elongated bearings 42 at their leftward end as viewed in Figured. In this form of my invention the reel axis A would be driven from its extreme leftward end and the reel bar driving mechanism would be preferably disposed and arranged in substantially the same way that it is illustrated and described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. In the cantilever form of'my invention it may well be desired to have the pay-on point'for the strand of the reel adjacent the bearing end thereof, i. e., the leftward end as viewed in Figures l and 7, with the pay-off" point of the reel atjtherightward or unsupported end of the reel 7 cally by virtue of the strand being dispensed from the extreme end of the threaded groove of one of the reel bars. When free pay off is contem plated at the unsupported end of a cantilever reel it may well be advantageous to shave off the last turn or two of the threads to permit the strand to rest on an unthreaded part of the reel bar for at least a fraction of a revolution to facilitate a gravity pay off at a point which. might not necessarily coincide with the exact end of the helical groove of a thread bar. Changing the direction of movement of the strands on the reel incident to paying on or paying off from one end or another of the reel will depend on the hand of the threads of the reel bars, the direction of rotation of the reel bars and the direction of rotation of the reel as will be more fully explained below.

My invention lends itself to the oantiliver form by virtue of the peculiar facility with which the screw threaded reel bars may be supported other than at the journaled ends thereof. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, I provide a spider 45, the hub 46 of which is fixedly secured to the axis of the reel and the arms of which extend toward and proximate to the reel bars. on axes 41 which lie transversely of the planes that are determined by the axis of each reel bar and the axis of the reel are mounted for free rotation worm wheels 48 which mesh with the threads B on reel bars 13 as if the bars were the worm elements of a worm drive; the teeth of the worm wheels 48 being shaped to have smooth and wide bearing engagement with the threads of the reel bars wherewith to support them radially of the reel and also to extend in a peripheral direction of the reel bars for such a substantial distance as to steady the bars against circumferential movement relative to the supporting spider 45. Preferably the worm wheels or at least the tooth portion thereof are made of low friction material in respect to the material of the reel bars wherewith to have a self-lubricating relation therewith. Where the reel bars are made of steel it may well be practicable to em- Pivotally supported ploy graphite bronze worm wheels wherewith to obtain a self-lubricating engagement. The spider 45 with its worm wheels 68 may also be advantageously employed in the form of reels shown in Figures 1 and '2 to support middle portions of the reel bars B where the same by virtue of their length, strength and diameter in relation to the load and tension of the strand on the reel needs support in addition to the support of their end bearings. Similarly whether my reel takes the form in which the reel bars are journaled, Figure 1, at both ends or are journaled in cantilever fashion only at one end, Figure 4, any desired number of sup-porting spiders 45 with their worm wheels for engagement with the reel bars may be provided along the axis of the reel for supporting the bars at any desired plurality of points where support may be employed advantageously.

Another cantilever form in which my invention may be embodied is shown in perspective in Figure 15 wherein the threaded reel bars B2 may be supported in cantilever bearings, not shown, in or behind, as viewed, the plate T which with appropriate driving mechanism similar to that hereinabove described comprises the reel R3. In this form I prefer that the reel bars B2 be large with respect to the size of the reel and preferably be hollow "wherewith to admit the ingress or egress of treating fluids or gases that they may pass transversely through the Walls of the 8 hollow reel bars through appropriate apertures e. Piping, spray heads or the like, not shown, may be disposed in the central space along the axis A2 between the bars to condut treating fluids to or from the web or strands on the reel. In this form the axis of rotation A2 of the reel R3 takes no tangible form in the neighborhood of the strand supporting portions of the reel bars B2 but may and appropriately should take tangible form rear'wardly of the plate T to facilitate the driving and rotatable mounting of the reel as a Whole. In this form of my invention I prefer that when the reel rotates clockwise, as viewed in Figure 15, see arrow a, about its axis A2 each of the reel bars will rotate counterclockwise about its own axis. I prefer also that the hand of the threads of the reel bars be such that the strand S being paid on at the point It! will be advanced into the helical convolutions of the web W2 and, if desired, may pay off by gravity at or adjacent the payeoff point I i. In this form of my invention the reel may be, self-loading particularly if the strand S is wet or otherwise adhesive to the reel bars so that if thefree end of the strand is lowered by gravity toward the reel from a point approximately above the axis A2 it will be carried by movement of the reel and reel bars through a self-loading operation until the free end of the strand passesrthe free ends of the reel bars whence, as suggested above, it may pay off by gravity if that be desired. My reel in this form may have especial utility where self-loading strand storage, strand advancing reels are employed in the treatment incident to the manufacture of synthetic threads or yarns and where the wetness of the strand facilitates the adherence of the leading free end of the strand to the reel.

The negative direction of rotation of the reel bars with respect to the positive direction of rotation of the reel facilitates self-loading because the leading end of the strand will tend to adhere to the first exposed portionof the thread of the bar that it first contacts wherewith to begin the paying-on operation-leading the next adjacent portion of the leading end of the strand into contact with the next following reel bar and so on whilstthe helical convolutions of the web take form on the reel and are advanced as above described, clearing the pay-on point for accretion to the load. The web of the load including the leading end of the strand will move relative to the axes of the reel bars contrary to the direction of rotation of the reel from one reel bar to another so that the leading end of the strand will be drawn rearwardly of itself from one reel bar to the other, never tending to wrap around any one reel bar because whenever'the leading end of the strand is passed from contact with one reel bar it is directly and continuously drawn back onto the following bar.

Where it is desired to advance the strand more rapidly with respect to the speed of rotation of the reel about its own axis as by rotating the reel bars in' the same direction as the direction of rotation of the reel then I prefer to provide rotary brushes Q mounted for rotation in the plate T'and rotating in the same direction of rotation as the reel bars with which the brushes have contact so that the bristles of the brushes will enter the grooves of the screw thread on the reel bars preventing the leading end of the strand from adhering to the bars beyond the lines of contact with the brushes so that the leading end of the strand is passed from one bar to another to facilitate a selfdoading operation. The

. 9f brushes Q underlie the. web W2 of strands on the reel and are out of contact-therewith unless brushing the strands is desired for itsown sake.

As shown in the diagrammaticview of Figure 8 when a reel embodying my invention employs but four small diameter reel bars widely spaced the web W of the strands on the reel takes a substantially square form in the plane transverse the axis of the reel as shown inFigure 8, with the result that when the reel is rotated at a uniform velocity of rotation the speed of the strand paying on to and paying off from the reel will vary, rising to a maximum and declining to a minimum four times each revolution. While I am aware that thread or strand tensioning devices have been'usedfor the purpose ofmaintaining substantially constant tension as against varying velocities of lineal movement I prefer to maintain substantially constant velocity of lineal movement of the strand to and from the reel by specific means shown in'Figures 8 and 9. To

that end the strand is fed through a fixed eyelet fillfrom its source of supply, not shown, thence through a movable eyelet5 I, thence to the reel R and is led from the reel R through the movable eyelet 52 and then through a fixed eyelet 53 to the place of consumption or collection of the strand. As shown in Figure 9, I prefer that the eyelets 5i] and 5! lie in and/or move in the plane of the pay-on point lilthat is transverse to the axis of the reel and that the eyelets 52 and 53 move in and lie respectively in the plane transverse to the axis of the reel which includes the pay-off point H. Each-offlthe movableeyelets 5! and 52 are preferably supported at'the ends of arms as and 55 respectively, which arms are mounted on fixed pivotal supports 55 and 5'! wherewith the swinging of the arms about the pivot points raises and lowers the eyelets 5i and 52 wherewith to modify the lineal distance between the points of contact between the strand and reel and the fixed eyelets 53 and 53 respective- .ly. To effect the swinging movement of the arms Stand 55 their inner endsare preferably provided with cam engaging rollers 58 and 59 which are induced to follow the cams E9 and Bi under the influence of weights 62 and 63 respectively so that the raising and lowering of the eyelets 5| and 52, as viewed in Figure 8, is controlled by the contour of the cams 6ft and 64; th contour of which being not necessarily accurately presented in the diagrammatic view of Figure 8 is shaped for the purpose above stated and gives the result of a substantially constant lineal speed and tension to the strand as through the fixed eyelets 5G and 53 by virtu of its balancing out the inherent tendency of the reel to induce a variable lineal speed to the strand as the latter comes to and departs from the reel.

Alternatively I contemplate that substantially constant lineal speed and tension may be maintainedin the strand being paid 'on and off my reel by increasing the number of reel bars as shown in Figure 18 with or without theprovision of means not shown for inducing a desirable and compensating variable angular velocity in the rotation of the reel axis. As suggested in Figure 10 the employment of 8 instead of 4 reel bars in the reel R2 will of iself ver much reduce the variations in lineal speed of the strand under conditions of maintenance of constant tension therein for geometric reasons well appreciated, and insuch event I have found it practicable to bring the strand in through the eyelet 50 to the movable eyelet 5i thence onto and off the reel through the movable eyelet 52 and fixed eyelet'53, but in this instanc the movable eyelets-5i and 52 are supported on arms 61.. and

68 which are pivoted about fixed points 56' and -5'|' and-carry counterweights t9 and It tending to hold the eyelets 5| and 52 downwardly thereby-stressing the strand to impose a desirable tension and at'the same time tendin to modify the length of strand between the pay-of. and pay on points. respectively and thefixed eyelets 50 and 53 in' a manner to preserve constant or substantially constant lineal speed and tensionin the strand; In the form of reel R2 shown in Figure 10 all thereel bars may be identical orv substantially identical with. the screw threaded bars B or some of 'the're'el bars may be externally screw threaded to correspond with the bars B and some of the bars may have smooth cylindrical exteriors throughout the portions which contact and support the webof the strands. In a reel employing 8. reel bars, as suggested in Figure 10, I prefer that alternate bars 13 correspond exactly to the bars B, as shown in Figures 1 and 6, when the non-cantilever form of reel is employed, and the bars l l have merely smooth cylindrical external surfaces. In such a construction I prefer that the'reel bars H have their smooth external surface formed on .a diameter substantially corresponding to the root diameter of the threads of invention, however, that the bars H be held against rotation about their own axes particularlyif their strand supportingsurfaces are smooth and polished wherewith to permit the web-of strands supported thereupon to have smooth substantiallyfrictionless sliding movement thereover as the latter is induced by rotation of'the threaded reel bars 8.

In the operation of my reel reference has been made above to the direction of rotation of the reel bars i with respect to the hand of the threads, and the direction of rotation of the reel as the same influence the movement of the web of the helix of the strands on the reel and the relative positions of the pay-on and pay-off points. In the example shown in Figure 7 with the reel rotating clockwise and the reel'bars rotating counterclockwise as viewed from the right, and the pay-on point In rightwardly of the payoff point H, reel bars having'right-hand threads induce the web W to move leftwardly as mentioned above. It follows, therefore, as a first variant that were all other factors kept the same that changing the hand of the thread from right-hand to left-hand would induce the web W to move from left to right as viewed in Figure 7, wherefore it would follow that the strand should be paid on at the leftward end of the reel and paid off from the reel at the rightward end.

A further variant of the situation described with reference to Figure 7 has to do with the direction of rotation of the reel bars. Assuming that the situation shown in Figure '7 as first above described with clockwise rotation of the reel but with clockwise rotation of the reel bars then if the reel bars have right-hand threads the strands of the web W on the reel will be moved from left to right wherewith th strands should be paid on at the left end of the reel and paid off at 1 1 the right end. When the reel bars have the same direction of rotation as the reel the web on the reel will advance faster than the peripheral speed of the reel since for each revolution of the bars the web will be advanced on the reel and in reference to the reel a circumferential distance equal to approximately pi times the root diameter of the threads on the bars B upon which the strands are supported.

In considering the operation of the reel of my invention not only the direction of rotation of the reel bars and the hand of the threads thereupon is to be considered but also consideration should be given to the advantageous results that may be obtained from modifying the speed of rotation of the reel bars with respect to the speed of rotation of the reel. Thus if the reel in an installation as above described with reference to Figure 7 is operated with a single strand but with the reel bars rotating at twice the speed ofthe speed of rotation of th reel then only alternate thread grooves will receive the strand as at X, Y and Z in Figure 6, whereby the pitch of the helix of the web W will be doubled. Similarly both the axial and circumferential movement of the continuous helical strands constituting the web will be doubled in relation tothe speed of rotation of the reel, the spacing between adjacent lengths of the strand in the web will be substantially doubled, the load on the reel for the same overall axial length of the web will be reduced substantially in half and the time that the strand will lie upon the reel for a given speed of rotation of the reel will be reduced approximately by half. Similarly when threaded reel bars such as those above described having singlethread screws as shown in Figur 6, with both lead and pitch equal to P as shown, are rotated at twice the speed of rotation of the reel, double strands side by side can be paid on, stored, and advanced and paid off from the reel with the same'facility of operation described for the single strand. of the radially outwardly disposed portions of the helical grooves of the threads of the reel bars will be occupied. The reel will be fully loaded, but fora given speed of rotation of the reel the load will only remain on the reel for approximately half the time that it would have remained had the reel been fully loaded with the reel bars rotating at the same speed as the speed of rotation of the reel. That is to say, the pitch of the'substantially helical path of the strand on thereel can be conveniently modified by modification of the speed of rotation of the reel bars about their own axis relative to the speed of rotation of the bars about the axis of the reel, i. e., relative to the speed of rotation of the reel.

'My teaching is not limited to the employment of single thread screws in the surfaces of the threaded reel bars since the utility of double or multiple thread screws, especially for handling double or multiple strand operations will be appreciated in view of the principles above discussed and the general principles and advantages of my invention. For example double thread screws employed on reel bars running at the same speed of rotation as the speed of rotation of the reel will give the same increased rate of axial movement to the strands of the webas the single thread bars running at twice the speed of rotation of the reel but will impart to the strands constituting the web only the same circumferential movement relative to the reel as is imparted thereto by the rotation of any reel bar In such a double strand operation all 12 whose speed of rotation is of rotation of the reel.

Variations in the speed of rotation of the reel bars with respect to the speed of rotation of the reel other than in the integral multiples above mentioned will have the effect of changing the axial location or the axial locus of the load on the reel including the locus of the pay-on and pay-off points. For example in the first above described operation of the reel of Figure '7 with single thread right-hand screws formed on the reel bars and the reel bars rotating counterclockwise at the same speed of rotation that the reel rotates clockwise if the speed of the reel bars were reduced down to the speed of rotation of the reel, as by control through the auxiliary motor N etc., then correspondingly the axial movement of the helical convolutions of the web W would be reduced whereby the locus of the web W would shift from left to right shifting the pay-on and pay-off points l6 and II correspondingly. It also follows that if it were desired to shift the locus of the web leftwardly that the same would result by increasing the speed of rotation of the reel bars above that speed at which the locus of the web is held in an axially fixed position.

The locus of the web will continue to shift position, so long as the speed of the bars remains at the non-integral value and will ultimately leave the reel or jam up at the ends. In order to maintain the locus at the desired position the speed should be restored to its normal value. The utility of this ability to shift the locus of the web might be illustrated by the example of a vertical cantilever reel substantially one half of which including the free end thereof is immersed in a treating liquid. The reel may be conveniently and easily loaded and the web formed on the upper half of the reel which is exposed to the open air; the speed of the bars may then be varied as described above-to move the locus of the web onto the submerged half of the reel with the pay-off point located just at the surface of the liquid. The speed may then be restored to'normal operating speed with the result that the web will be maintained in submerged position. If for any reason it should be desired to temporarily stop the operation, the Web can be shifted clear of the liquid in the manner described and the reel then halted, leaving the web free from the action of the liquid which otherwise might have a harmful effect on the Web.

My teaching is not necessarily limited to the positive driving and rotation of the reel bars as by the sprockets l1 and chain l8 etc. for strand storage, strand advancing operation since it is not impracticable under some conditions including those to be mentioned below to operate my reel satisfactorily with the reel bars supported for free rotation about their ownaxes. Referring for example to Figure 7, if the reel as therein first described is rotated about its own axis in a clockwise direction as viewed from the right, the reel bars being free from the driving or restraining mechanism whereby to be freely rotatable about their own axes, and the reel being loaded as suggested in Figure 7 then if the reel be rotated about its own axis the web W of the strand on the reel may be induced to move with respect to the reel and the axes of the reel, bars by control of the relative tension in the portions of the strand leading to and leading from the reel respectively. If the reel bars be so threaded that equal to the speed facilitate strands more geo esic portion of the strand leading tothe pay-on point in excess of the tension in the portion: of the strand leading awayirom the pay-off point such as to induce negative rotation of thereel bars about their own-axesat the. speed required to the operations above described will produce the-desired strandstorage',.strand advancing operaticn'ofthe reel. 'Siniilarly if the: threads of thereel bars be such that. the desired move ment of 'the web axially 'of the reel requires that the .web advance circumfcrentiallywith respect I to the reel in thezdirection of reel rotation then a of tension. inv the strand leading away from the. reel with respect to the. tension in the strand leading to;the reel may be availed of to provideithe necessary rotation of. the reel bars about their ownaxes. As presently advised this modeiof operation appearstohavea'limit of 'prac tic'ability at the point where the-tensions required tdrotate the bars: via the strand. would exceed the tensions that may be advantageously or desirably imposed hereupon.

Another mode or". operating my ree1;.or a plu- -ality thereofinrseries,whichimay be mentioned as. a practicalvariant of" oneof the modes first above described is that the reel 'or onezor' more ofaseri'es of 'reels be give'nitsor their bodily rotation about its or their own axis or axes essentially or inpart through the.tensioniin.thcstrand leading from one or mo'rerof the. reels le s-distinguished from 'drivingithe reel or. allithe reels in a series 'aboutits or their ownaxes by the motor or similartmctors foreach reel in'a series. In such circumstance it" isentirely, practicable to causextherreel bars to have a certain-speedoixrotation' abouttheir own-axes relative to the speed of. rotation ci 'the reel'or reels about its or their axes, as forzexampleby securing the sprockproper GXCGSS I ets 25- of all such :reels againstrotation whereby to facilitate the desiredaxial and circumferential movement of: the convolutions of: the helix of the web with respect to the reel or reels while the same and the rotation of the reels and reel barsare induced off strand." Again the desirability and practicability of workingthe reel or reels. wholly or partly through tensionin the: strand may well-be governed by the natureofthe strand, tlie number of I reels in a series'and the desirability of imposing the necessary tension upon the strand" at some or all parts'of its-length orcondition';

While it is suggested .in Figure-6 that thewidth of the thread grooves be equalto'about half the pitch of the threads more or lessaccording. to known thread forming practice, I do not limit myself to the conventional thread forms; but contemplate that both the. forms of the threads with respect to their roundness or angledness as well aswith-respect to the relation of the width of the groove to'the pitchthereoi maybe conveniently, advantageously and judiciously selected according to the needs and purposes to which my invention is put. For example, if it be desired to use my reel for the purpose of drying strands it would ordinarily be advantageous to space the widely wherewith to permit the circulation of air or gases therebetween thanmight be the case if it were desired to wet the strands as by partial or total submergence of the web in a fluid or liquid wetting agent. Similarly considerations of design will guide one skilled in the art in his choice of the diametrical size of reel bars not; only with regard to the desired strength thereof but also with regardto the receptivity of the radially outwardly disposed portions. of the thread grooves to the strands. For example, if it were desired to support but threestrands per inch and the strands were but an eighth inch in diameter then a screw thread of such high pitch with its thread grooves approximately an eighth inch in width would but poorly, receive'the strands .espe'cially wherethe pitch of the helix ofatheweb fis'the same as the. pitch of the'screw' and the 21; shrinkage or'stretchingv of wholly or. partly bytension' in the payedtapered threaded reel "adjustably oryieldingly inclining screwis. of small pitch diameter such for 6x831): pleas three-fourths inch; Under such circumstances the strand receiving portion ofthe thread groove might well receive the strand more-satisfactoril'y if the screw were two or three inches in diameter. My invention also lends .it'seltwith peculiar advantage to the control of the tension of the strands .in the webithat comprise the load on the reel during the path. of movement "of the strand on the reel from the pay-on to the pay-ofi point. This has especial utility where the'treatment' of the-strand while it is stored on the reel involves or may advantageously provide either the strand. Where for example it is desired that the strand be shrunk duringits treatment on the reel then it is eminently practicable in my invention to employ bars having decreasing pitch diameter from or adjacent the pay-on point to or adjacent the pay-0d point. Such reelbars mounted with their axes parallel to the axis 'of' the 5 reel and otherwise similar to the threaded reel bars above discussed and employed in reels simil'arlyoperated will define the helix cf-the web with the turns of the helix of greater length-at the pay-onpoint than the lengthof the turns at the pay-off point wherewith the shrinking strand may be maintained under'a. substanti'ally constant'or desirably variable tension during-thetime it is stored and advanced'on the reel-and will be free from any deleterious tendency to slip or bind with respect to the points inglyor appropriately increased in the direction from the pay-on point to the pay-offpoint'of the reel; I am not unaware thatv a desirable change in the. relative length of the turns of the helix of the web mightv also be affected by permanently,

reel bars withrespect to theaxis of the reel and in theplane thereof, regard being had for a corresponding modification of the driving mechanism as by: the employment of angled drives, or unive'rsaljoints between'the ends of the reel bar journals and the driving gears or sprockets associated therewith. 4

One of the advantagesof my invention is that the: strand or strandsare supportedon-the-reel and/or'make contact therewith in'the groove of the threaded reel bar or bars which taken with the tension in the. strandor strands locates and/ or secures the load or web of strandsagainst undesirable shiiting'movement-on the reel. Therefore a reel embodying .my, inventionlends itself to employment in substantially any-position as withits axis horizontal, vertical or inclined from the vertical. Especially when my reel takes cantilever form as shown in Figures land 15 its free, i. e. unsupported end, may when desired the axes of the be immersed with its axis vertical submerging all or part of the load supporting. portions of the reel and reel bars into liquid with which it may be desired to treat the strand.

Loading the reel is preferably accomplished in ways wherein the principles of my invention are most fully enjoyed.

One practicable method of loading my reel is suggested above with especial reference to Figure 15, wherein the adherence of the leading end of the strand being paid onto the reel is taken advantage of whereby to induce the strand to be led to form the helical convolutions of the web by its adherence to a first and to succeeding reel bars, while both the reel and the bars'are being rotated about their respective axes as in the normal or intended strand storage, strand advancing operation. With reels of the forms more specifically suggested in Figures 1, 2, 4 and ,7 wherein the reel bars are of small diameter with respect to the space between them adhesive loading tends to be encumbered by reason of the length of strand that may dangle between bars. Having regard however for the greater facility afforded by closely spaced reel bars and particularly in the forms wherein the reel bars are rotated on their own axes in a direction opposite the the direction of rotation of the reel, it is practicable and often desirable to load the reel by adhesion of at least a leading portion of the strand longer than the peripheral spacing between reel bars to the grooves of the reel bars. When the strand does-not naturally tend to adhere a leading length may be treated with a fluid which will give at least temporary adhesive qualities, the residuum of which fluid as may be left in the grooves of the reel bars perferably being such as to have no deleterious effect upon the remaining lengths of the strand-or the desired treatment thereof. Alternatively static electricity may be used for loading adhesion. Similarly an adhesive leader may be attached to the leading end of the strand to perform the same function as an adhesively treated leading portion. In either event it is practicable to lay or squeeze the adhesive leading end or leader ofthe strand to the groove of the reel bar at the pay-on point and thereafter to begin the rotation of the reel about its axis and the rotation of the reel bars about their axes in the relation for the intended strand storage, strand advancing operation wherewith the adhesive portion of the leading end of the strand will at approximately the first quarter turn (where four reel bars are employed) make adhesive contact with the outwardly exposed portion of the groove of the thread of the next following reel bar and thereafter until the reel is loaded with the desired number of convolutions of the web, the adhesive portion of the leading end of the strand will have adhesive rolling contact with at least one reel bar, laying onto and adhering to following bars while peeling off leading bars, as the strand and web are moved backwardly with respect to the reel bars. When the extreme end of the strand loses contact with the initial reel bar it will tend to fall toward the axis of the reel at least in one position of the reel and to increase its adhesive bond on the next following bar wherewith to continue to' hold the leading portion of the strand in its I desired position at the advance end of the helix of the web as the same is being formed on the reel. Where a cantilever reel is being loaded from its supported end, the leading end of the strand may be permitted to pay off by gravity when it has advanced to the free end of the reel, or in either the cantilever or non-cantilever forms the leading end may be drawn from the reel when it reaches the pay-off point after stopping the reel, or alternatively without stopping the reel preferably with the aid of a brush or air blast or both as convenience suggests in view of the nature of the strand and other circumstances of operation.

.A variant of this method of loading consists in winding the leading end portion of the strand in the groove of the thread of one of the reel bars from the pay-on point a few turns, if the leading portion of the strand tends to adhere to the reel bar, or preferably all the way to the plane of the pay-off point if the strands have no substantial tendency to adhere to the bar. Then as the reel is rotated with the reel bars turning backward relative to the reel in the normal and intended strand storage, strand advancing relation the strand that is wound on the bars will pay off the bar and into the leading convolution of the web at exactly the desired and proper rate to supply and give a uniform tension in the strand and to facilitate laying succeeding convolutions of the helix of the web onto the reel at the pay-on point. The few turns of adhesive lead should preferably contain a portion of strand long enough to reach and adhere to the next following reel bar before detaching from the bar on which it is first wound for the reasons above described. Where the groove of the bar is wound from the pay-on to the pay-off point the extreme end of the strand will roll out of its thread groove just at the moment that the helix of the web becomes completely fromed. Thereupon the extreme leading end of the strand may be conducted away from the reel and the loading cycle is completed; the reel being running or ready for running in its intended fashion.

Another way to load the reel is to removably secure the leading end of the strand to one of the reel bars at or adjacent the pay-off point as at H, Figures 7 and 9, either by looping the strand around the pay-01f groove of the bar or by attaching the strand to a hook, the curved end of which partially encircles the pay-01f groove, see the hooked end 15 of the member 16, Figure 11, then, while restraining the reel bars from rotation about their own axes, to rotate the reel about its axis, traversing the guide for the incomingstrand as from the point 12 to the point 13, Figure "7; the rate of traverse being equal to the the load or web as the same is thereby formed on the reel. When the desired load has been wound onto the reel the leading end of the strand is disconnected from the pay-01f point, the reel bars connected to rotate about their own axes, and with the leading end appropriately led and guided from the reel, the reel may be started up and operated in the intended strand storage, strand advancing manner above described.

Another practicable means of loading the reel is illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 wherein for the sake of illustration a partial quadrant of a reel such as the reel shown in Figures 1 and 2 is illustrated with the reel bars B mounted on the end of the spokes K. Here the hooked loading member 16 has its hooked end 15 formed to lie in the groove of the threaded reel bar wherewith to be given axial movement along the bar when the bar is rotated as from the upper full line position to the lower dotted line position shown in Figure 12. Thus upon rotation of the reel desired pitch of the helix of gangsta bars about their. ownaxe'sthe loading member 16: while held substantially in "the transverse the leading end of the strandiaxi'allyof the reel and reel bars to facilitatepaying on to the reel ofthe' helical convolutions' of the'web" at the pay=on point "[0, Figure 12. Assuming the reel is rotating counterclockwise as 'shown' inFigure 11 ,and indicated by the arrowa thereof and 'the' reel bars are rotating clockwise as vie'vved"in Figure llythen the loading member-516 is required to furnish a supply of the strand wherewith' to permit the" leading 7 end" of the strand along with the: convolutions of the vweb to have that clock-1 Wise-movement relative .to that-reel bars: as the same is induced by rotation of the bars 'about their own axes. To provide"the'properisupplyof strand material at the leadingendthereof" a spool This pivotally mounted: o'ntan'c axis -I'B1f'car-; ried by the member 'lfi and the ispoolfisiwound with: an appropriate length of strand as at T9 wherewith .to' carry 'suflicient "strand to .pay but to the reel a length approximately equal to'pi j times the root diameter of there'el bars "times the number of revolutionsthatthe reelzbarsi will makeduringthe loading operation. That" is; if it be "desired to "load the reel 'with' 50iz'single pitch convolutions of the web, then areel bar of single thread =form i will take 50' 7' turns; and, having a one :inch root= diameter,"the' spool 'Il""wil1' be providedwith approximately "50 times pi inches of strand. Preferably the spool" resists rotation about its axis '18" either by an appropriate friction brake, clock spring or the "like; not shown; wherewith to provide thedesiredten'sion in the leading end of the strand S. The loading ope'ration requires merely that the member 16 be hooked onto one of the reel'ba'rsat the spay-on point lt with'th'e strand emanating'from-the spool 11 connected with the' strand 'to b'eapaid 'on to 'the reel, the latter'being led onto the reel in the transverse plane of the pay 'off'point as shown :in' Figure '12. Then:normaljzoperation. of the reel for: strand. storage, strand advancing;

operationwill carry the 7 loading @member i' "It axially and circumie'rentially as abovedescribed and will provide the' necessaryquantity of strand material at the'leadi-ng end of the 'strandwhilst the -main: body "of the load 'is beingo-ipaid on as from the pointtfiyFigure' -12, from'the main source of supply of strand material. ":When'the member 16 has 're'ached the pay ofi point 11, as shown diagrammatically in dotted lin'es -in Figure 12, the .reel is stopped} themember :16

removed from? the bar and preferabl carried ofiithareel 'plane of the pay-off point %as shown inthe second dotted position fl'l where the strand may then be connected to'be drawn in its path to consumption: and use after first? being separated or severed from-the loading member '16. a

The loading member "16, modified inv function asx'hereinbelow described may also be advantageous'ly employed to loadthat :form &of"'my' reel inwhich and while the reel barsirotate-in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the r-eel; the member 16 with its spool IT-in this-"instance taking ,up instead of paying out the-leading portionof the strand to maintain the-desired tension thereof and of the web or load during the loading operation. For such service. I prefer that 'onlythe extreme leading end. of; the strand "be secured "to ethe; spool, 11

afteri' the; spool has been wound ---up" "against this 'circumstancawi'll be: mueh'i-the: same; -;as

that next 'abovea'descri-bed; excepting-that: the spool "1'!" will tend tobe loaded with strand; when it arrives "at the pay-01f point *whereforit may be conveniently unloaded-and its 'sprifigrewound by" merely carryingit manuallypast: the :position '81 while holding the reel against -rotation.

' A last and sometimes preferredform -of meth: 0d and means' for loading my "reek is :nowEdescribed with reference to Figures 13and 14.;rIn this-form of my invention 1 provide-an auxiliary externally thr'eadedloading screw or "bar 83=ithe purpose, function and results whereof 'ar?.'i1'l many respects similar to-those' pertaining-to the loading member 'lfiinsofar asv the screw tfin-is' availed of to provide asupply of or-storage space for the'leadi'ng portion of the strand as 18111335 to position correctly the leadingi'corivolutiontioiv thehelix of the load as the load-is-beinglpaid-on to the reel. In a reel-Ref the general F'fOIIm shown in Figures '1 and 2,*and diagrammatically in Figure 13, the idadingscrewSB-isc preferably eration. Preferably the ends 84 and-85 .of the" screw 83 comprise smooth journals Whichare; ro-; tatably mounted in bearingsfidand 1 81i carried; on the ends of spokes- 88 and -89 radiating from; the

hubs H. v The spoke 89 :carries the; bearing ii-l on a universalpi-votal support -90 by virtue; of; which the screw" 83 may be quickly 1removedfrom; or,

ser d-1h. e r e a a ea hep u win ing:

as the s a b -o The p k -1 31 ;:a .;;icarri sa bearing 9-! in which the journal-of tthesprocket 92 is supported thesprocket preferably,being; identical I with I the sprockets 11} and engaged qyi the chain 18. T-he-axisof the-sprocketdspreiepably disposed radially outward of the axis-of the screw 83 wherewithto H have workable engage taehably connects the sprocket and the screw to;

drive the 'latterat ;;thes pee d .oithe reel bars. ;'".A

spring '94 surrounding :the journal 85' and inter-i posed betweenthe bearing- 81 and; the slfiol 'lder 95 on-the =screw-urges the screw leftward1yE:aS.

viewed -in-Figure 14; causing the; shoulder -9 Bite.

bear on'the end of the bearing- 86. The journal 84 being? shorter than *the ex used apart of the" journal-'85 within thespringfill', fo'r'cibleunanuall-y inducedmovement of thescrew erightwarcdly ree.

moves-the journal=i8 l from the bearing'ril'fiiwheref-i upon the screw may be sw'urig about -"the 'rpivoti and; when-desirably :in'clined: more or- Ie's's to 7 Ward" or. from the aids or the reel may :be with drawn from the bearing '81 and then removed:

irom the reel; "a reverse a procedure-tpermitsiquick nsertionof the screwt-into itsbperativeeposition shown in Figure 14'. y

To load the form of my reel in which therreel bars rotate oppositely of the direction of'reel rotation strand is wound on the screwfor a distance' corresponding to. that from the plane of thepay-ofi to the plane of the pay-on point as viewed with the screw positioned as in Figure 14; the winding being. done, preferably, while the screw is detached from the reel. then inserted in the real and the strand led from the screw over the adjacent and following reel bar and the pay-on point It! thereof; the extreme leading end 1 of the strand lying at the opposite end of the screw 83 and in approximately theend of the thread groove thereof, but more particularly substantially in the plane of the intended pay-ofi point for the load to be put on the reel. Thereupon normal rotation of the reel, with the bars B and screw 83 turning oppositely of the direction of the reel rotation, pays the leading portion of the strand off the screw 83, and into the leading convolution of the web on the reel as that convolution advances axially away from the pay-on point whilst the major portion of the web is paid on at the point it. Figure 14 shows the parts with the reel approximately half loaded, the part 98 of the strand passing from the mid portion of the screw 83 to the mid portion of the following reel bar. Continued rotation of the reel as above described will continue the operation of paying off. the strand from the screw 83 to the reel bars B until the reel is loaded for substantially the same axial distance that the screw 83 was wound with strand in the first instance.

To load the form of my reel in which the reel bars rotate in the same direction of rotation as the direction of rotation of the wheel, the screw 83 is positioned in the reel devoid of strand or more particularly, devoid of strand throughout that portion of its axial length corresponding to the axial length of the load which is-intended to be put on the reel. Thereupon the incoming strand isled to the pay-on point of the reel and therebeyond in the direction of reel rotation to the screw 83 where it is secured, preferably adhesively, to the screw in approximately the plane of the pay-on point which is normal to the aXis of the reel. Thereafter rotation of the reel and reel bars in their normal strand storage,- strand advancing relation and rotation of the screw 83 in the'same direction of rotation as the reel bars will effect the loading of the reel and the simultaneous loading of the screw 83 since the portions of the strand following the extreme leading end thereof will be advanced to the screw 83 from the following reel bar from the leading end of the leading convolution of --the helix of the web as the web is formed on the reel whilst in this instance the web will be advanced around the reel by virtue of the positive direction of rotation of the reel bars which support the web. Thus for each revolution of the reel a length of strand approximately equal to pi times the root diameter of the threads of the reel bars and the threads of the screw 83 will be paid from the web of the reel to the screw and the latter will receive the same amount of strand that is paid out of the web incident to its loading. Thus when the reel is half loaded for example the situation will be different from that shown specifically in Figure 14 since the screw 83. will be loaded in the same axial zone that the reel is loaded as the loading progresses. When the reel is fully loaded or has its desired load and has come to rest, the screw 83 may The screw is then be removed and the. leading end of the strand transferred from the screw to or toward the point of consumption of the strand or alternatively that portion of the strand which will then lie between the pay-off point on the reel and the screw 83 may then be severed; leading the strand from the reel away in the direction of and for consumption and permitting the screw 83 in its fully wound condition to remainidly present and rotating on the reel as a matter of convenience. I

While the foregoing description of certain preferred and modified forms, embodiments and practices of my invention will have exemplified the fundamental principles thereof in specific forms and applications, it must be taken as illustrative and not exclusive of other forms, embodiments and practices in which my invention may be employed advantageously. For example the matter of a rolling support for the web of the load in the moving helical grooves of some or all the reel bars taken with the bodily movement of the reel bars around an axis wherewith to provide a free groove at the pay-on point as each grooved bar comes to the pay-on point does not necessarily require the symmetrical relation of the bars to such axis nor the number or arrangement thereof herein specifically illustrated. Changes, modifications and improvements in the forms and embodiments of my invention herein exemplified and discussed will occur to those skilled in the art when they come to understand the principles of my invention and the teachings hereof, wherefore I do not care to be limited in the scope of my patent to any such specific forms and embodiments norin any manner other than by the claims hereof fairly construed.

I claim:

1. A continuous pay-on and pay-off reel having strand supporting reel bars mounted for rotation about their own axes and for bodily movement about a common axis, said reel bars having threads in which the strand is supported, means for rotating said bars about their own axes, means for moving said bars bodily about said common axis, and means comprising worm wheels mounted onaxes transverse to the axes of said threaded bars and engaging the threads of said bars for supporting said bars against inward deflection.

2. A continuous pay-on and pay-off reel having strand supporting reel bars mounted for rotation about their own axes and for bodily movement about a common axis, said reel bars having threads in which the strand is supported, means for rotating said bars about their own axes, means for moving said bars bodily about said common axis, the axes of said strand supporting bars being substantially parallel to and substantially equally spaced from said common axis, said reel bars being supported at one end of the reel and having their ends exposed at the other end of the reel and worm wheels engaging the threads of the bars and supporting said bars against inward deflection, and means supporting said worm wheels on axes transverse to the axis of said bars.

3. A strand storage, strand advancing reel mounted for rotation about an axis comprising a plurality of threaded strand supporting bars rotatable about their own axes and rotatable bodily about the reel axis, means to drive said reel to rotate said bars, and supporting means engaging only the inner surfaces of said bars to support said reel bars against inward deflection.

4. A reel according to claim 3 in which said supportingmeans is of low friction material. a r

21 5. A reel according to claim 3 in which said supporting means comprise members rotatable about axes transverse the axes of said bars. I

6. A reel according to claim 3 in which said bars are supported at one end or said reel independently or said supporting means and have their ends exposed at the other end of said reel. 7. A reel according to claim 3 which includes a plurality oi! bearings associated with said reel and disposed at longitudinally spaced positions along the axis of said reel, said bars being journaled in said bearings and said supporting means being located intermediately of said spaced bearings.

CYRIL A. LITZLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

22 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Hepburn et a1 July 4, 1933 Ewing Apr. 27, 1943 Modigliani Feb. 13, 1945 Guenther et al May 13, 1947 Henry July 22, 1947 Dasher July 5, 1949 Ewing Dec. 13, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland Oct. 16, 1942 Germany Apr. '7, 1911 Great Britain Sept. 1, 1941 

